


Small Forces

by frapandfurious, squire



Series: Big Brothers AU [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crush at First Sight, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, No We Aren't Crazy, Siblings, Yes You Read That Ship Tag Right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-07-26 19:03:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7586278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frapandfurious/pseuds/frapandfurious, https://archiveofourown.org/users/squire/pseuds/squire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go at all. And now the sun was beginning to set and instead of fighting, their brothers were <i>flirting</i>.</p><p>-</p><p>Ben is Rey's older brother; Hux is Techie's. When classmates Rey and Techie volunteer them to fight each other to see whose brother is the best, the results are not what they had in mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this](http://sinningsquire.tumblr.com/post/147534436361/modern-au-where-10-yo-rey-gets-into-a-screaming) tumblr post.
> 
> This is squire's AU/brainchild which she allowed me to write/babysit. We hope you enjoy it! -frapandfurious

"And that's why I brought in this helmet,” Rey concluded, “it belonged to my grandpa when he was a great soldier.”

 

The class and teacher applauded politely as Rey proudly took her seat, a banged up combat helmet in hand. As she settled into her desk, she glanced over at the slight, red-haired boy to her right and made a face at him. Techie paused in rubbing his eye with one balled up fist to make a face back. For show and tell he’d brought in a trophy in the shape of shiny bronze laurels on a pedestal with an engraved plaque. It was an award his brother had won; he didn’t know the details, but told the class it was because his brother was the best engineer at his school.

 

At recess, Rey approached Techie, who was sitting on a bench fiddling with a mechanical puzzle rather than playing with the other kids.

 

"I bet that trophy isn't even real," she said.

 

He looked up and shot her a pouty glare.

 

"It is too real! My brother won it. He’s the best."

 

"Well my brother’s won stuff too, you know.”

 

Techie tried to give her a skeptical look he'd seen many times on his older brother's face. The effect was much less impressive on his young face with his eyes pink and watery from being rubbed.

 

He wore contacts even though they irritated his eyes, hating how his glasses made him look. It was bad enough that he was small and shy and smarter than most kids his age, he didn't need to give them something else to tease him over. Not any of them but _especially_ not Rey.

 

Rey and Techie were ten years old and in the same class at school.

 

Techie wasn't his real name; he had earned it by being skilled beyond his years with technology. At eight he built his own robot and won a national competition. Not that that impressed his classmates, many of whom teased him and others who avoided him, or his father, who expected nothing less than perfection from both his sons.

 

His older half-brother Armitage, affectionately known by Techie and _only_ Techie as "Armie", just "Hux" to everyone else, was proud of him. That meant the world to Techie. Hux was in the military and studying engineering with a specialization in weapons development. He was brilliant and independent, a living example that it was possible to survive living with their father and succeed in getting away from him. Techie talked about his brother constantly.

 

It annoyed Rey to no end.

 

She actually liked Techie most of the time, she thought his freckles were cute and liked that he was smart. Rey was quite smart herself, her talent for mechanical things matching Techie's, and it would be nice to have a friend who not only didn't mock her for having "boyish" interests but also understood her. But when he went on about his important father and perfect brother it drove her nuts.  Rey was a headstrong girl who didn't put up with people saying and doing things she didn’t like. Once, a new kid took her friend's coat and she chased him across the playground with a stick until a teacher intervened.

 

She regularly let Techie know exactly what she thought of him and his stuck up family.

 

Rey came from a very different sort of family. Her mother was an activist and her father was a freelance mechanic. Techie had always enough money for top of the line materials for his projects, everything he did looked clean, polished and high quality. Rey's projects were often scraped together from junk and second-hand pieces of tech. Where Armitage and Techie's upbringing had been cold and strict, Rey and her big brother Ben's had been loving but unstructured. They moved around a lot before finally settling down here; her parents thought all the moving was part of the reason for Ben's rebellious behavior and didn't want Rey to have similar problems.

 

They didn't see eye to eye with Ben on much, but Rey adored him. He was strong and funny and didn't talk down to her. He'd passed up a career in academia to pursue dance, much to his parents’ frustration. He was a member of a dance group and worked at a fitness equipment store to make ends meet.

 

"Your brother doesn’t sound that great!

 

"Yes he is! And I bet _your_ brother isn't really in the army!"

 

"Yes he is! He's a general and everyone does what he says!"

 

"Well my brother is really _really_ strong! He’s basically a fighter! That’s right, my big brother is the best fighter in this city and he’d take your brother down like it’s nothing!”

 

"Could not! My brother is strong _and_ smart, he’d wipe the floor with your dumb brother!"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Yeah!"

 

"Prove it!"

 

"W-what?"

 

"If your brother is so great bring him to the park tonight. I'll bring my brother and they can fight to see who's best!"

 

"...fine!"

 

Neither of them knew how they were going to convince their respective siblings to agree to this, but neither was about to back down either. 

 

*

 

Lucky for Rey, she was spending time with Ben that afternoon. He took her out every other week for dinner or ice cream or exploring. It was a way to spend time with her without having to see his parents for too long.

 

"What do you want to do tonight?" He asked as she buckled her seat belt.

 

"We're going to the park," she said decisively.

 

Ben laughed.

 

“Any particular reason?”

 

“This kid in my class thinks he’s better than everyone else and never shuts up about his brother. He said his brother is cooler than _you_. You have to prove him wrong.” She said it like it made perfect sense. Ben raised an eyebrow.

 

“And how am I going to do that?”

 

“I told him you’d kick his brother’s butt.”

 

“Rey, I’m not fighting a guy I don’t know because you want to prove some kid wrong.”

 

She gave him a stern look.

 

“So you’re saying he’s right?”

 

“ _No_ , I’m…what? No.”

 

“ _Please_ , Ben? You don’t even have to fight him, he’ll take one look at you and run away!”

 

Ben sighed. He was going to lose this battle eventually; he always did when it came to his little sister. Might as well get it over with.

 

"The park it is."

 

*

 

Techie waited until he was sure his father was preoccupied, then snuck into the kitchen to use their landline. He curled up on a chair and dialed Hux’s number.

 

“Hello?”

 

Techie brightened immediately at the sound of his brother’s voice.

 

“Armie, it’s me!”

 

“Oh? I don’t think I know a ‘me’, you must have the wrong number…” There was a smile in Hux’s voice. Techie laughed.

 

“Your _brother_ , of course. Armie, I need your help with something.”

 

“Is everything alright?”

 

“I’m fine, but I need you to bring me to the park.”

 

“Why?”

 

“…just because?”

 

“Techie…”

 

“Okay, okay, it’s this girl at school. She’s loud and scary and today she said her brother is better than you but he’s _not_!”

 

“What does this have to do with going to the park?”

 

“She’s going to bring her brother to the park and I…I said I’d bring you. You have to fight him, Armie, she said he’s stronger than you!”

 

“I’m not fighting anyone.” Hux paused. “But if you want to go that badly, we can go walk around a bit. I have some time today. I’ll pick you up in half an hour.”

 

“Thanks, Armie! You’re the best!”

 

Truthfully, Hux looked for any opportunity to get Techie out of the house and away from their overbearing father. And maybe if they ran into this girl and her brother he could help Techie sort this out. _Without_ a fight.

 

*

 

Hux and Techie arrived at the park first. There was no sign of this supposed classmate or her brother, and Hux hoped they could skip the whole thing and just spend some time together. They walked along a path around a small lake and Hux listened to Techie chat excitedly about the gaming computer he was building. As they made their way back around the other side, Hux told Techie about some of his own projects, like his work with solar powered weapons systems.

 

“How much could you blow up with it?” Techie asked. “A planet? A _solar system_?”

 

Hux chuckled.

 

“At the moment probably no more than a small town. But the idea isn’t to blow things up so much as to let people know you _can_ blow things up. And the research we’re doing in solar power will have _many_ practical applications outside of…what? What are you looking at?”

 

Techie had stopped and was staring across the park at two figures getting out of a car: a tall, dark-clad man and a brown-haired girl about Techie’s age.

 

“Is that them?”

 

“Yeah. Come on.” Techie prodded Hux’s leg until with an “alright, alright” he began walking across the grass.

 

“There they are!” exclaimed Rey, pointing. Ben locked his car and glanced up. A small red-haired boy was pushing along a tall red-haired man. Ben sighed; he’d been hoping maybe the other two wouldn’t show. Before he could protest, Rey grabbed his hand and was pulling him to meet them halfway.

 

Both pairs stopped once they reached the middle of the grassy area. Rey stood with her arms folded and glared at Techie, who glared back from beside Hux.

 

“Okay, Ben, get him!”

 

“Go on, Armie!”

 

Ben and Hux gave each other appraising looks.

 

Hux was dressed what he considered casually and what Ben considered overdressed for the park, in a snug button-up, flawlessly ironed slacks and black oxfords, with his hair parted on the left and combed neatly into place. He stood in a confident, straight-backed manner that affirmed his military background and made Ben subconsciously straighten his own slouched posture a little. The boy beside him didn’t have the same presence, but he certainly tried, mimicking his brother’s stance and tilting his chin up a little. Ben could see why Rey would consider them snobby, but aside from the bored but calculating look he was giving him, the other brother didn’t seem to hold any hostility towards him.

 

Ben wore a snug black well-worn t-shirt adorned with a fading band logo, a pair of loose black sweats and black sneakers. He stood with his hands in his pockets and shoulders slumped inward as if the was trying to make his broad frame smaller. His messy black hair kept getting in his eyes and he’d flick his head occasionally to put it back in place. He was tall and built, but wore an almost boyishly curious expression that belied his intimidating figure. The tough-looking girl by his side seemed more ready for a fight than he did.

 

“I hear you’re a General,” Ben said, finally breaking the tense silence. Hux’s lips twitched. He gave his little brother a fondly exasperated look, then faced Ben again.

 

“Far from it, I’m afraid. I’m a Lieutenant. But I hear you’re a fighter?”

 

Ben snorted. He gave Rey’s ponytail a playful swat.

 

“Not exactly. I’m a dancer. I guess you could consider competitions a battle, but…”

 

Rey and Techie were becoming impatient. This was just the lead-in to the fight, right? Like in movies, when both sides swapped insults until someone attacked?

 

Hux smirked.

 

“I also hear I’m to wipe the floor with you.”

 

A lopsided grin began to spread across Ben’s face before he controlled it by pursing his lips.

 

“Funny, I heard I’m supposed to…what was it, Rey? Deck him?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“There you have it. How would you like to be decked?”

 

Hux was having a hard time keeping the smile off his face. It wasn’t often he met people who were…on his level, so to speak. Of course there were plenty at the academy who matched him in intelligence and skill and ambition. But rarely did he find anyone who matched his odd sort of dark humor and desire for stimulating conversation about something other than work.

 

His gaze roamed over Ben a second time with a new mindset. This time he noticed the way his shirt sleeves strained around thick biceps, the broadness of his chest and shoulders, the unusual but not unattractive arrangement of his features. Hux’s tongue darted out to sweep over his suddenly dry lips. Well. This was an interesting development.

 

Ben noticed the way Hux’s expression suddenly changed, caught the subtle swipe of his tongue. His eyes widened a little and his face flushed at the scrutiny of those sharp eyes. His eyes…were they blue, or green? Whichever it was, they went well with the man’s fiery hair. Ben’s eyes wandered down Hux’s slender neck, narrow waist, long legs, then back up to lock onto those eyes again.

 

Ben straightened more and ran a hand through his hair in a “play it cool” gesture.

 

“So, uh…a lieutenant, huh? Do lieutenants get a lot of free time?”

 

“Not much.”

 

Ben’s face dropped so quickly it was almost comical. Hux moved a few steps closer, hands behind his back. It was almost a prowl. Now Ben could see that his eyes were in fact green and that his face was splashed with light freckles.

 

“But I’m very good at time management. I’m sure I could set aside an evening somewhere.”

 

The crooked smile appeared once more on Ben’s face, and this time he didn’t try to fight it off. Hux found it incredibly endearing.

 

“Yeah? How about next Friday?”

 

“Okay. Here, let me give you my number.”

 

Ben reached into his pockets. His…empty pockets. He patted them disbelievingly and then gave Hux an apologetic look.

 

“I left it in the car. I could…can I give you mine?”

 

“I left mine in the car, too. So it didn’t break in case, you know. I got decked.”

 

Ben laughed. An unfamiliar warmth began to take form inside Hux at the sound.

 

“Here, I have an idea,” Ben said, digging into his pocket again. “Hold out your arm.”

 

Hux raised an eyebrow but did as he asked. Ben pulled out a sharpened down to almost nothing black eyeliner pencil and took Hux’s arm with one hand. As soon as their skin made contact, a shudder ran down Hux’s spine at the feel of Ben’s warm, rough fingers. Ben didn’t even notice as he was too busy getting a closer look at Hux’s freckles. He cleared his throat and held up the pencil.

 

“You don’t have your phone on you, but you have that?” Hux’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

 

“It came in handy, didn’t it?” Ben wrote his number neatly onto Hux’s forearm, along with his stage name, Kylo. “There.”

 

Two completely appalled ten year olds watched this take place with growing dread. This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go _at all_. And now the sun was beginning to set and instead of fighting, their brothers were _flirting._

 

“This is going to smudge, you know…”

 

“Then don’t wait too long to text me,” Ben replied, trying to sound alluring but his voice shook.

 

“I won’t.” Hux shot him a smirk that came across much more confident than he felt. He hadn’t been asked out in a long time, and never by someone quite like this. He felt they’d better leave before he pushed his luck. “Come on, Techie, time to go.”

 

“But…but…you didn’t even…”

 

“None of that, come on.” He put a placating hand on his brother’s head and led him away, willing himself not to look back at Ben.

 

“We should…go too…”Ben said distractedly as he watched Hux walk away.

 

Rey mumbled something under her breath that sounded like “traitor” and stomped back to the car. Ben joined her and pulled out his phone before even bothering to start the engine. Rey rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

 

When Hux reached his car he quickly added Ben’s number to his contacts and sent a short text.

 

Ben’s phone buzzed. Rey looked at it as if it had personally offended her.

 

 _So, Friday?_ The message read.

 

Ben beamed. He added Hux to his contacts and, sensing Rey’s growing impatience, hurriedly replied.

 

_Friday 8pm at Starkiller, it’s a bar._

_I’m familiar with it. Friday at eight it is._

_See you then, General._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find us on tumblr:
> 
> [frapandfurious](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com/) | [squire](http://sinningsquire.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

_Six Years Later_

 

 

Rey stood at the front of Ben’s side of the wedding party wearing a red dress and a mildly annoyed expression unbefitting the celebratory atmosphere. Behind her were five tall, athletic men in grey suits and red ties, the other members of Ben’s dance group. Across from her, and the recipient of her look of displeasure, was Techie, also in a grey suit and red tie and giving Rey a similar look. Behind him was a tall blonde woman, Hux’s only other wedding party member, his best friend from their academy days. The wedding was small and intimate. Ben’s parents and uncle were there, and some friends of their family. Hux and Techie’s father and Techie’s mother were notably absent. In fact, Hux’s side of the family was represented solely by his mother, an intelligent but soft-spoken artist who had taken an immediate liking to Ben and also got along well with his parents. A few other military buddies of Hux’s and some of Ben’s coworkers from the shop he used to work at rounded out the group.

 

As Techie and Rey watched each other across the few feet of space, Techie couldn’t help blushing at how pretty Rey looked in her dress. He offered a shy smile. After a deliberate, stubborn pause, Rey smiled back. The whole thing was kind of funny, really. They were about to watch their brothers get _married_ , when they’d first introduced them in hopes of getting them to fight. They joked sometimes about still being upset that their plan had backfired, but truthfully, they were so happy for their brothers that neither could feel a sliver of real regret at the way things had worked out.

 

The music started and the small crowd hushed. Hux and Ben entered simultaneously from either side of the raised area where the wedding party stood. They moved slowly, taking each other in. Hux was wearing a sharp, impeccably tailored white suit, while Ben wore a black one, both matching their party with red ties. Hux’s hair was combed neatly but loosely with minimal product, knowing how Ben liked it that way. Ben’s hair was pulled back out of his face, but wouldn’t stay that way for long once Hux got his hands in it at the reception.

 

They met in the middle and grasped each other’s hands. Ben already had tears in his eyes and nothing had even happened yet. Hux squeezed his hands, his own lip quivering a little in spite of his smile. The officiant began to speak and they only half heard him, they were so wrapped up in each other. During their vows, which they had each written, Ben lost all pretense of keeping it together and Hux even shed a couple of tears.

 

“I now pronounce you wed. You may kiss.”

  
“ _Finally_ ,” Ben burst out, causing an eruption of laughter from the attendees.

 

Ben took Hux in his arms and dipped him back, kissing him deeply.  Everyone clapped, including Rey and Techie even as they exchanged matching revolted expressions.

 

*

 

The reception that followed was a warm, joyful affair. Ben’s dance group put together a surprise performance for the couple, which ended in them dragging Hux and Ben up to dance. As soon as they were in the center of the dancefloor, the lights dimmed and a slower song began to play; _their_ song, one Ben had danced to privately for Hux many times. The pair pulled each other close and swayed to the music together, their foreheads touching, talking and laughing quietly to teach other, tucked away in their own little world for a moment.

 

Rey and Techie watched from off to the side. Techie kept scooting closer a little at a time until they were standing almost shoulder to shoulder. He thought he was being sneaky but Rey saw him out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t move away, though.

 

Halfway through the song they were approached by a small older woman with strange round glasses. She stood beside them and gave them a shrewd look.

 

“So you two are the matchmakers, is that right?”

 

Both teens’ eyes widened.

 

“M-matchmakers?” Techie stammered.

 

“Is that what people are saying?” Rey asked. “Because it wasn’t on purpose.”

 

“Well,” the woman said with a knowing smile, “what a happy accident.” Then she wandered away to talk to other guests.

 

“Is she from your side of the family?”  


“No. Yours?”

 

“Nope.”

 

The song ended and everyone clapped for the newlyweds. Another slow song started and other couples joined them on the dancefloor.

 

Techie looked hopefully over at Rey.

 

“Would you like to….”

 

Before he finished the sentence, Rey was pulling him by the hand onto the dancefloor, blushing but resolute. They positioned themselves similarly to the pairs around them and began swaying along with the music. Techie kept his eyes fixed on a point behind Rey’s head, his face red up to the tips of his ears. Rey gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

 

“…Rey?” Techie mumbled after a moment.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Do you want to go see a movie sometime? I-I mean, with me?”

 

Rey was suddenly glad Techie was pointedly looking anywhere but at her, because he missed the way her face lit up.

 

“Yeah,” she said, trying for a casual tone, “that would be fun.”

 

Techie ducked his head to hide his growing smile. The song came to an end and more upbeat music started. The two reluctantly separated.

 

“I’m going to go see what my parents are up to, okay?” Rey said. Techie nodded.

 

Only Hux and Ben saw her plant a quick peck on Techie’s cheek before dashing off to one of the tables. When Techie turned towards them, they both gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. Techie covered his bright red cheeks and hurried away.

 

What a happy accident, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find us on tumblr:
> 
> [frapandfurious](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com/) | [squire](http://sinningsquire.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Since frapandfurious did all the work with writing and I fell in love with it at first sight, I felt compelled to draw the scene where Ben and Hux fall in love, too. 
> 
>  


End file.
